Abstract: A method for manufacturing a crankshaft for an internal combustion engine with a plurality of journals having a hardened case with a first microstructure. The crankshaft is comprised of a steel comprising between about 0.3 wt % and 0.77 wt % Carbon. The first microstructure of the hardened case of the journals comprises between about 15% and 30% ferrite and a balance of martensite and the resultant subsurface residual stress between 310 MPa and 620 MPa.

Abstract: The invention relates to a crankshaft member having high fatigue strength and good bending correctability, and its method of manufacture. The steel made crankshaft member mainly consists of a two-phase structure of ferrite and perlite. The steel includes C, Ni, Mn, and Cr as required elements and Si, Cu, Mo, Ti, V, Nb, Ca, and S as optional elements that may be included, in the amounts of C within the range of 0.20 to 0.50 wt %, Si within the range of 0 to 0.6 wt %, Mn within the range of 0.5 to 1.5 wt %, Cu within the range of 0 to 0.7 wt %, Ni within the range of 0.05 to 1.5 wt %, Cr within the range of 0.05 to 0.45 wt %, and Mo within the range of 0 to 0.5 wt % to satisfy the condition 115?70C+8Si+23Mn+11Cu+128Cr+83Mo?50. A portion of the member surface is provided at least with a hard nitride layer having an average hardness within the range of 300 to 450 HV. Lamellar spacing of the perlite is 0.3 ?m or less.

Abstract: The invention proposes a lever-type cam follower (1) made without chip removal out of a sheet steel for use in a valve train of an internal combustion engine for actuating at least one gas exchange valve. This lever-type cam follower (1) is characterized by being made of a cold-forming, core-hardening heat-treatable steel.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of fabricating a steel part by forging, the method being characterized by the following steps:

Abstract: A non-heat treated crankshaft which comprises, in % by mass, C: 0.30 to 0.35%, Si: 0.40 to 0.80%, Mn: 1.00 to 2.00%, S: 0.040 to 0.080%, Cr: 0.10 to 0.30% and V: 0.05 to 0.20%, with the balance being Fe and impurities, and of which microstructure is a ferrite-pearlite microstructure whose ferrite fraction &agr; is 0.20 to 0.60 and average pearlite grain size Dp is 0.08 mm or less, and the value of Fn1 defined by the equation (1) being 0.73 or more, the value of Fn2 defined by the equation (2) being 1.20 or more and the value of Fn3 defined by the equation (3) being 0.64 or more, having excellent strength, low temperature toughness and wear resistance, so it can be applied to engines for working machine and general-purpose engines: Fn1=C+0.10Si+0.20Mn−0.71S+0.23Cr+1.65V  (1), Fn2=1.4−1.1×(1−&agr;)+0.16 Dp−½  (2), Fn3=(1−&agr;)+&agr;×(0.3Si+0.

Abstract: A ferrite core partly covered with ceramics members is loaded into an oil hole defined in a pin, and high-frequency induction hardening is effected on the pin while the ferrite core is being held in position by copper wires. At the same time, a magnetic field is generated from the ferrite core to produce a high-frequency induction hardened layer having progressively spreading skirt regions extending from a position in the vicinity of a center in an axial direction of the oil hole toward openings in ends of the oil hole.

Abstract: A method for heat treating a mold cast product by releasing the product from a mold and hardening the product. Since the mold release is performed when a surface layer of the product held in contact with the mold has a hardening allowing temperature and after it becomes a shell-shaped solidified layer, the product immediately after release from the mold has a heat suitable for hardening. Using this heat, the product is thereafter hardened by means of a cooling agent. As a result, a heating process required for hardening can be omitted, thereby achieving energy conservation.

Abstract: A low friction, wear-resistant pin for a cam follower roller useful in the injector and valve trains of internal combustion engines, particularly diesel engines, to enhance cam durability and life is provided. The material selected for the pin, which is selected for its wear resistance, its corrosion resistance, its low friction, and its ability to embed hard debris and other oil contaminants without scuffing, has been demonstrated to improve cam life dramatically. A preferred roller pin material that achieves this objective is a copper-based alloy, most preferably a leaded manganese silicon bronze.

Abstract: A crank shaft is constructed only at the surface layer of a journal portion with a hard nitride layer, so that the resultant crank shaft is available at a low cost, not so heavy and excellent in durability in comparison with a case employing a hard material for the whole crank shaft. Also, a method of manufacturing a crank shaft according to the present invention employs fluorinating process prior to nitriding process to change a passive coat layer, such as oxide layer on the surface of the journal portion to a fluoride layer, which protects the same surface. Therefore, even when there is space of time between formation of fluoride on the surface of the journal portion and nitriding process, the fluoride layer protects and keeps the surface of the journal portion in a favorable condition, resulting in that re-formation of oxide layer on that surface is prevented.

Abstract: Improved fatigue strength properties are achieved in an induction hardened microalloy steel useful for demanding service environments. The microalloy steel has low carbon and sulfur contents, comprising in % by weight, 0.15% to 0.45% C, 0.50% to 1.60% Mn, up to 0.20% V, 0.0001% to 0.01% S, balance Fe. The material is fabricated to a selected configuration, such as an engine crankshaft, for example. Selected surfaces of the fabricated article are hardened by induction heating. The article can be used directly after induction hardening or it may be tempered at low to moderate temperatures of from about 100.degree. C. (200.degree. F.) to 290.degree. C. (550.degree. F.) to achieve a desired surface hardness and compressive residual stress level. The controlled alloy chemistry and low tempering temperature provide a substantial increase in bending fatigue strength over conventional higher carbon grade steels.

Abstract: Spheroidal graphite cast iron for crank shafts having a tensile strength of 75 kgf/mm.sup.2 or more, and having excellent conformability and machinability, which cast iron consisting, by area ratio, of graphite of 5 to 15%, ferrite of not more than 10%, and the balance pearlite matrix, said cast iron having a Brinell hardness (HB) of 241 to 277.

Abstract: The present invention provides a steel product, for all induction-hardened shaft component, which can prevent quench crack and has an excellent torsional strength of not less than 160 kgf/mm.sup.2, and a shaft component using the steel product.The subject matter of the present invention resides in a steel product for an induction-hardened shaft component comprising C: 0.35 to 0.70%, Si: more than 0.15 to 2.5%, Mn: 0.2 to 1.5%, Cr: 0.20 to 1.5%, Mo: 0.05 to 0.5%, Al: 0.015 to 0.05%, N: 0.002 to 0.02% and other ingredients, reduced amounts of P, Cu and O, further comprising particular amounts of Ti, B and the like, and an induction-hardened shaft component using the steel product, which shaft component has an average in-section hardness HVa of not less than 560, a grain size number of prior-austenite in an induction-hardened layer of not less than 9 and a surface residual stress of not more than -80 kgf/mm.sup.2.

Abstract: A camshaft made of cast iron containing at least one element selected from the group consisting of Bi, Te, Se, As, Sb and Sn in a total amount of 0.0001 to 0.1 weight %, preferably, 0.001 to 0.1 weight %. The cast iron may further contain at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ni, Cu and Co, in an amount of 0.2 to 5.0 weight %. Furthermore, in the camshaft of the present invention, a carbide area ratio at the sliding surface of the cam lobe portion is not less than 40%, the chilled carbide has an average grain diameter of not more than 15 .mu.m, and the sliding surface of the cam lobe portion has a hardness of not less than HRC 53.

Abstract: A monolithic metallic drive shaft for a marine propulsion device is disclosed which is resistant to corrosion. The drive shaft comprises proximal and distal end portions, each of which has a predetermined surface hardness. The surface hardness of one of the proximal and distal end portions is greater than the surface hardness of the other of the proximal and distal end portions.

Abstract: A method of producing a chilled iron camshaft is described, wherein the iron has a white iron structure adjacent chill inserts in a casting mould and a grey iron structure in substantially all other regions remote from the chills. The method comprises the steps of assembling a sand casting mould having a camshaft shaped cavity and also having chill inserts adjacent the cavity regions where while iron is desired, preparing a molten metal charge of cast iron having a carbon equivalent lying in the range from 3.3 to 3.85 wt % and adding sufficient nucleant prior to pouring to fill the mould cavity to ensure that undercooling of residual liquid remaining after solidification of the white iron structure adjacent the chills remains above the iron-cementite eutectic temperature prior to solidfication into grey iron.

Abstract: The surface of a metal workpiece is remelted by a heat producing energy beam so as to form a molten metal layer thereon. While remelting the surface, a magnetic field is generated coaxially with the energy beam and is applied across the molten metal layer so as to cause the heat energy to flare and, thereby, produce a Lorentz force in the molten metal layer. By the Lorentz force, the molten metal is agitated. The heat energy and magnetic field are oscillated, or reciprocally moved, relative to the surface so as to cause a flow of the molten metal from the edges of the molten metal layer toward the center, thereby providing a uniform chilled layer thickness.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for thermal surface-hardening of metal workpieces, in particular of shaft ends, by means of a laser source with which, if necessary, with relative movement of workpiece and laser source, the workpiece surface to be hardened is heated sectionally by laser radiation. In accordance with the invention, the laser radiation is irradiated essentially uniformly in a hardening zone that extends in a principal direction, at least approximately over the entire workpiece surface to be hardened.

Abstract: A new SAE 1541M alloy steel composition consisting essentially of 0.40-0.48% carbon, 1.35-1.61% maganese, 0.16-0.30% silicon, 0-0.23% chromium and the balance iron and other materials not affecting hardenability of the steel, especially adapted for forming axle shafts in the 1.70-2.05" diameter range to be used as drive axles with an axle load carrying capacity between 30,000 and 44,000 pounds.

Abstract: In a process for producing a surface remelted chilled layer camshaft by using a high density energy irradiation and self-cooling, a cam is rotated around the center axis of the camshaft and a position of a torch for the irradiation (e.g., a TIG arc torch) is controlled so as to form an angle between a tangential line of the cam surface and a horizontal line at a melting position in a lower side of the horizontal line in a direction opposite to the camshaft rotation direction being from 30.degree., preferably 20.degree., to zero degree.

Abstract: A method of and an apparatus for remelting and hardening an elongate workpiece such as a shaft having a plurality of axially spaced shaft portions to be processed. The shaft is held in a second position, heated, and thereafter transferred to a first position close and parallel to the second position. The shaft is then held in the first position, and the outer surface of one of the shaft portions is remelted and hardened with a torch. Thereafter, the torch is moved parallel to the shaft to remelt and harden the adjacent shaft portions successively.

Abstract: A process for producing a remelted and chilled camshaft comprises the steps of melting a sliding cam surface by TIG arc and forming a chill layer by self-cooling. When two adjacent cams are in positions at which a mutual influence from the magnetic arc blow of the TIG arc current applied to the cams can be felt, a melting current applied to two arc torches is alternately changed so that the sliding cam surface of one cam is melted while the other cam is in the nonmelted state.